Full Breakdown
St. Paul Police Chief Sues Mayor Over Alleged Harassment and Retaliation
By Drooid · · How we work
Lawsuit Filed by Chief Axel Henry
On September 23, 2026, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry filed a civil suit in Ramsey County District Court against Mayor Kaohly Her and the city. The complaint seeks a jury trial and damages on six counts, including violations of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, the Minnesota Whistleblower Act, the Minnesota Human Rights Act, as well as aiding-and-abetting and common-law battery claims against the mayor personally. Henry requests more than $50,000 in damages for each count, the statutory minimum for claims of that size.
Background and Prior Investigation
Mayor Her, the city’s first female and first Hmong American mayor, took office in January 2026 after defeating an incumbent who had appointed Henry to a six-year term in 2022. In April 2025 Henry reported concerns to the city attorney; the city then hired an outside law firm to conduct an independent review. The mayor’s office released a summary stating that while Her’s conduct was “offensive and inappropriate,” the investigation did not substantiate sexual-harassment claims. The full report has not been made public.
Allegations Detailed in the Complaint
Henry’s filing alleges a month-long pattern of unprofessional conduct beginning in late December 2025, shortly after Her’s election. Specific claims include:
- Repeated sexual comments and noises simulating an orgasm while working out in the police department gym.
- Display of doctored, sexualized photographs of Henry and other officers in his office and elsewhere.
- Unannounced visits to a Woodbury golf simulator where Henry was spending personal time.
- Physical contact on March 18 during a budget meeting, where Her placed her hand on Henry’s upper thigh beneath a conference table on two occasions, witnessed by Assistant Chief Paul Ford.
Official Responses and Legal Context
She added that she had not yet read the full investigative report but was relieved the summary did not find her guilty of sexual harassment. The city has not released the investigative report, and Henry has called for its disclosure.
Potential Impact
The lawsuit, if it proceeds to trial, could set precedent for how Minnesota’s whistleblower and human-rights statutes apply to elected officials’ conduct toward subordinates. With a police department of roughly 800 officers and civilians, the case also raises questions about workplace culture and oversight within a major U.S. city’s law-enforcement agency.